Best Time to Visit Nairobi

Although Nairobi lies just one degree south of the Equator, its 1,795-metre (5,889-foot) elevation gives it a crisp, spring-like subtropical highland climate rather than tropical heat. Daytime temperatures hover comfortably between 21°C and 28°C all year round, with seasons defined by two dry windows and two rainy periods.

The Warm Dry Season (January to early March) brings Nairobi's sunniest skies and warmest afternoons (26°C to 28°C), with virtually no rain. Because natural waterholes in the surrounding Athi-Kapiti plains dry up, wildlife concentrates around the permanent dams and riverine valleys inside Nairobi National Park, making this a superb window for spotting black rhinos, lions and giraffes in short grass before heading onward to the Rift Valley lakes or the coast.

The Cool Dry Season (July to October) is peak East African safari season, coinciding with the Great Migration in the Maasai Mara. Interestingly, July and August are known locally as Nairobi's winter: mornings are often overcast and cool (11°C to 13°C at dawn, rising to 21°C or 22°C by afternoon) before clearing into bright September and October sunshine. In October and early November, thousands of jacaranda trees burst into purple blossom across Karen, State House Road, Kilimani and Westlands, carpeting the avenues and garden lawns in violet petals.

The Long Rains (late March to May) and Short Rains (November to mid-December) transform the highlands into a lush emerald landscape. April and May are the wettest months, when heavy afternoon and overnight downpours can make unpaved black-cotton-soil tracks in the National Park muddy, so a four-wheel-drive safari vehicle is essential. By contrast, the November short rains usually fall as brief late-afternoon showers followed by sparkling sunny mornings, migrating Palearctic birds, newborn plains game, lower hotel rates and dramatic cloudscapes behind the city skyline for wildlife photographers. Check what to wear in Nairobi and our three-day itinerary before you pack for your trip.